How Washington state's new gun permit law will work
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Washington residents will need a permit to buy guns starting in 2027 — a change expected to affect thousands of potential buyers each year.
Why it matters: Supporters say the law will boost public safety by helping keep guns out of the wrong hands. Opponents argue it infringes on Washingtonians' constitutional gun rights.
State of play: Washington is the 13th U.S. state to approve a permit-to-purchase system for firearms, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
- Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the legislation into law in May.
What's inside: The new law will require people to get fingerprinted and complete a gun safety course with live-fire training before they can get a permit to buy a firearm.
- They will also have to submit a fee and application to the Washington State Patrol.
- Exceptions to the training requirement will be made for police officers and military members, as well as licensed private investigators and security guards who carry firearms.
- Once granted, a permit will be good for five years.
What they're saying: Studies have found that states with similar gun-licensing laws have lower rates of gun violence, the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions says.
- In particular, requiring people to get their fingerprints taken as part of the permitting process can cut down on "straw purchases," in which one person buys a firearm for someone else who can't legally own one, Renée Hopkins, CEO of the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility, told Axios.
- Hopkins said the training requirements also promote safer gun handling, reducing the risks involved in having a gun at home.
By the numbers: The State Patrol expects to receive about 200,000 permit applications the first year the law is fully implemented, and roughly 100,000 yearly after that.
The other side: "This is the state government telling gun owners, you've got to get our permission to exercise your civil right — and that's not going to pass the smell test" in the courts, Dave Workman, editor-in-chief of TheGunMag, a publication of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, told Axios.
The fine print: Under the law, starting May 1, 2027, gun dealers in Washington won't be able to sell a firearm to someone unless the buyer has a valid purchasing permit.
- The State Patrol will certify which firearms courses meet the training requirements. (They must involve firing at least 50 rounds of ammunition.)
- Once the training has been completed, the State Patrol must approve applications unless the person is restricted from owning a firearm for another reason, like having an outstanding arrest warrant or being subject to a no-contact order.
- Permits will be revoked if a person later becomes prohibited from owning a firearm, such as through a new criminal conviction or a court order.
What's next: Gun-rights groups will probably challenge the law in court once the permitting rules take effect in 2027, Workman said.